Chapter 11

 

 

 

“Neil Murdoch killed?” Raphael and I asked in unison. I glanced at Raphael and he gave me a slightly perceptible nod to speak up. I turned to the others. “The guy we met was Neil Murdoch.”

“Yes, I can vouch for that, too,” Raphael confirmed.

“Well, I have no idea who you two met and talked to, but that guy surely can’t be Neil. The real Neil would never ever drink alcohol, let alone whiskey. Period,” Durga snapped.

Shiva turned to her, his handsome face pinched by worry. “Are you sure, love?”

She nodded and he straightened in his chair, which I had to concede proved a little too small for his massive body.

“The real Neil might be dead or alive like the other two shifters. We have to find them all,” Durga said out loud, and honestly I was so confused by her statement that I didn’t know what to say or even think. Was she sure about that? Shiva seemed to believe her, so maybe I had to follow his example. Amelia’s tarot reading came to my mind. I’d chosen two cards that indicated deception and sabotage, the King of Cups reversed and the Seven of Swords. I was starting to understand the forces stirring behind the cards’ vague symbols and images.

“Okay, just to clarify, do you think Drogo’s behind Neil’s abduction, too? If he’s kidnapped, not killed,” Raphael asked Durga.

“Most probably. He seems hell bent on wreaking havoc and causing more chaos. He never got love and now we’re all suffering because of his trauma.”

I looked at Durga as she said these words, partly wondering if she was half-joking, but nope, her attitude was all serious.

“Okay, what’s the plan?” Michael asked. “You believe the guy who Aiyana and Raphael have met isn’t Neil. Then what can we do to find the real Neil as you said?”

“Wait, guys! What if Neil is possessed? You know, it’s still his body but someone else is inside him?” Loki suggested as he played with a white-pink straw in his hands. He’d taken it from the bar. Probably Andrew had given it to him.

“I’d forgotten how fond you are of exorcism and demon possessions,” Durga said with a strange tone in her voice, half mocking, half playful. Loki shrugged and forced a smile.

“He’s right,” Michael said. “Someone else can be operating inside him, instead of the real Neil. Raphael has met this guy a few times before, he should have noticed if someone else was pretending to be Neil. Something’s up.”

I nodded, as this made way more sense. “Okay, what are we going to do about it? Any action plan?” I asked.

“We can follow Neil during the day. We need to see where he goes, the people he meets, such things. If someone else is possessing him, he’ll lead us to their den,” Michael said.

“Yes, I like the idea,” Shiva said and added, “You can split up to tackle everything. Raphael and Michael can follow Neil while Loki can take care of Aiyana’s skull.”

“The safety of the skull is crucial,” Durga confirmed and suggested, “I have a better idea. I can take your crystal skull and preserve it in Eden Hall. No one would be able to steal it from our place.”

I didn’t like her idea, so I politely refused. “Thank you, but I’ll need the skull. Besides, I’m worried about the time difference. It would mean spending much more time without Leia here.”

Durga reluctantly agreed, though she wasn’t pleased. “Okay, we go according to this plan. Raphael and Michael will track Neil or whoever poses as him, and Loki will guard Aiyana’s skull.”

“Well, my hellhounds are already protecting and guarding her skull. I can help the archangels in tracking the slimeball—”

Raphael cut him off, “I need to meet the druid. I’m waiting for his call. He could help us with the mystery shrouding the shifters. After that, I can join the others.”

“See? You need me, guys. Raph can join us later,” Loki said, a triumphant smile glowing on his face.

Durga wasn’t pleased by this, as she fidgeted in her seat. “Okay, then Loki and Michael will start following and keeping track of Neil Murdoch, and Raphael will join them later.”

“I think you’ve forgotten someone,” I said.

“Really? Who?”

“Me.” I forced a smile.

“Oh, no, dear, I haven’t forgotten you. You’ll stay home and take good care of your skull.”

“My sister spends most of her time at home. Besides, Loki’s fluffy dogs are guarding Leia. I need to be on the front lines. I’m not a weak princess or a damsel in a distress. For magic’s sake, I went alone into Drogo’s castle and stole his Scroll of Lies, all by myself. Have you forgotten that?”

“I know, love. You’re extremely powerful and that’s why you’re present at our meetings. But I’m afraid of you going into the lion’s den. It’d be precisely what Drogo wants.”

“She has a point, you know,” Loki noted and I threw him a dirty look. His smug expression showed me he couldn’t care less what I thought about him.

“That’s true, but here’s the deal: I’m the only supernatural that can kill a Nephilim. Weren’t you the one who said, ‘Only a Nephilim can kill another Nephilim’?”

“Wow, zero-one for Aiyana Carter,” Shiva declared, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Durga stifled a groan and agreed, “Okay, okay. You’re making a good point, girl. As much as I hate to admit it, you’re right.”

“That’s why I’m still working at a pub. What better way to convince folks to buy a drink for eight bucks instead of three?”

“I like her. If I were into drinking and bars, I might have dropped by here during your shifts,” Shiva said, lightening the mood in the room.

“I have a suggestion.” Durga turned to all of us. “Once we solve the current problem that Drogo has created, we can all come here to celebrate our victory. What say you?”

“Now this is a talk,” Loki said cheerfully, his face lighting up.

“Jeff would be delighted,” I said and pictured him among all those imposing gods. He wasn’t impressed by the archangels, but I thought Durga and Shiva would make quite an impression on him.

“As our time is short, I’d like to close our meeting,” Durga began. “Loki, Aiyana, Michael, and later on, Raphael will take care and follow Neil. Please get to the bottom of this. Raphael, I count on you to inform me if the druid finds something important about that sorcery spell on the shifter’s whereabouts.”

He nodded at her and she said, “I wish you all luck. Let’s beat Drogo’s loser ass once again. If you need my or Shiva’s help, don’t hesitate to contact me. We’re always available.”

“Even for backup help?” I asked.

“Especially for that, Aiya,” Durga replied, her voice stern, but a warm smile flickered on her lips and a wave of motherly love engulfed me, making me forget all my worries. “We’re going to beat Drogo’s ass this time, too. Please remember who we are. He’s nothing, and should be reminded who runs the show,” she said.

“Aren’t you guys just tired of constantly having to thwart this psychopath’s evil master plans?” I asked them.

“This! Well said, girl. I second her statement,” Loki said and clapped his hands. I got a little surprised at his reaction. Usually, he was always a contrarian about what I said, but not now. And he wasn’t being sarcastic.

“I second this, too,” Raphael added. The others joined him, voicing the same sentiments.

“Well, it’s great to hear this. I’m tired of this, this…how to put it mildly—jerk,” Durga said. “I believe that you have the guts and skills to finish him. For good.”